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2UnfortunatelyNSWisalongwayfrombeingnumberoneintheareasofplanninghousingsupplyhousingax1bordabilityinfrastructureprovisionandinmanagingmetropolitangrowth.AProduc-vityCommissionreportof2011foundthat64ofSydneysiderswereagainstgrowthandchangecomparedto52inMelbourne.ThesamereportfoundthatanumberofSydneycouncilareashadhighnumbersofpeoplewhodidnotfeelpartoftheirlocalcommunity.In2006AccessEconomicssuggestedthataround26ofNSWcouncilsmaybeunsustainableandthex18AllanInquiryx19ofthesameyeares-matedacouncilbacklogofinfrastructureatover6billion.ThestatescouncilsunderstandthatchangeisneededandthroughDes-na-on2036havebegunadialogueabouthowchangemayoccur.TheplanningreformsproposedintheGreenPaperwillneednewapproachesbycouncils.Indeedthereformsproposeahierarchyofgovernancemodelsfromstatetoregionalandtolocal.Itisbecomingclearthatanumberofplanningdecisionsneedtobemadeatalevelbetweenstateandlocallevelsoratleastwithsharedresponsibili-es.TheUrbanTaskforcebelievesthatnowisthe-metogetNSWmovingagainbydevelopingresponsibili-esandstructuresacrossthevariouslevelsofgovernmentthatsupportgrowthandsupportthedevelopmentofqualitybuiltenvironments.AnumberofourkeymembersLendLeaseMirvacMeritonBrookx1celdMul-plexAustralandandLeightonhaveformedasteeringcommi.eetodriveaspecialresearchprojectonlocalgovernmentreform.AsinputtothisresearchtheUrbanTaskforceengagedanexpertintheareaPercyAllantoprepareadetailedreportwhichcanbedownloadedfromourwebsite.Percyheadedupthe2006x18AllanInquiryx19intolocalgovernmentfortheLocalGovernmentandShiresAssocia-on.Thisextensiveinquiryiss-llthebenchmarkforresearchintolocalgovernment.PercyisalsoapreviousheadoftheNSWTreasurywithagreatknowledgeofhowgovernmentsworkandwaystoimprovetheirperformance.SotheCommi.eemixedPercyx19sreformistzealwiththepragma-cexperienceofourmemberswhohavebeenworkingwithcouncilsforyearstoproducethissubmissiontotheNSWGovernmentanditsLocalGovernmentReviewPanel.Thesubmissiondevelopstheconceptofcouncilsbeingstronglylocalasplacemanagersforlocalprecinctsbutwithsharedresponsibili-esformoreregionalscaledinfrastructureandplanningissues.ThesuccessfulLakewoodmodeloflocalgovernmentinAmericawheremanyservicesarecontractedoutisdevelopedasawaytoimprovetheex1bec-venessofcouncilserviceswithouttheneedforamalgama-on.Weproposeremovingratecappingbutcappingopera-ngcostssothatanyrevenuegrowthaboveinx1ea-onisusedalongwithappropriateborrowingguidepostsforrehabilita-ngandexpandingcommunityinfrastructure.Awholenewsystemforhowlocalgovernmentcanoperateisdevelopedasaposi-vecontribu-ontotheevolvingdebateonthistopic.BoldthinkingisrequiredtomatchlocalgovernmentroleswiththeboldnewplanningsystemthatisevolvinginNSWsotogethertheycanmakethestatenumberoneinAustralia.TheUrbanTaskforceiskeentohaveresponsestotheproposalssuggestedinthisissueofURBANIDEASandwewelcomeallcommentstoadminurbantaskforce.com.auChrisJohnsonAMChiefExecu-veOx1dcerUrbanTaskforceAustraliaPercyAllanAMPercyAllanhasassistedtheUrbanTaskforceintheprepara-onofadetailedreportonLocalGovernmentthatthisshorterversionisbasedon.HeisveryknowledgeableaboutLocalGovernmentinNSWandaboutpublicpolicyx1cnanceandmanagementgenerally.HisrolesincludeSecretaryNSWTreasuryandChairmanNSWTreasuryCorpora-on1985-1994ChairandResearchDirectorindependentLocalGovernmentInquirysupportedbytheLocalGovernmentandShiresAssocia-on2005-2006ResearchDirectorofin-depthreviewsof9separatelocalcouncils2006-2011ChairNSWPremierx19sCouncilontheCostandQualityofGovernment1999-2007Visi-ngProfessoratMacquarieUniversityx19sGraduateSchoolofManagement1996-RethinkingtheroleofLocalGovernmenttohelpsolveSydneyx19sliveabilitycrisisNowistheperfectx1emetoproposenewstructuresforLocalGovernmentinNSW.TheStateGovernmenthasestablishedanIndependentLocalGovernmentReviewPaneltoidenx1efyopx1eonsforgovernancemodelsandstructuralarrangementsoflocalgovernment.Atthesamex1emetheMinisterforPlanninghasreleasedaGreenPaperoutliningnewapproachestoplanningthathaveanimpactonlocalgovernment.TheoveralldriverofbothofthesereviewsistheStateGovernmentx19s10yearplanforNewSouthWaleswithitstaglinex1ctomakeNSWnumberonex1d.